The numbers tell the story. According to the FRAK Conference’s State of Fractional Industry Report, fractional professionals doubled from 60,000 in 2022 to 120,000 in 2024. Demand for fractional CMOs, CFOs and CTOs specifically grew 68% in 2024, per industry research from Cerius Executives. Industry cost analyses suggest companies can realize 40% to 60% savings by using fractional rather than full-time hires.

In a competitive market, the brands that get fractional hiring right will have an edge. To dig into that, for the latest edition of our ongoing series posing questions relevant to indie beauty, we asked 10 fractional executives and executive search experts the following: How do you scope a fractional engagement so it actually delivers? What does fractional cost, really? How is the fractional model changing full-time positions? What are three ways you see fractional work changing in the future?